Girl Next Door Syndrome
by FruitSnapple
Summary: Where Fran has always been the plain, bookish "girl(boy)-next-door" and Uni has always been the glamorous and sexy "girl all the guys want" and Fuuta has always been the handsome, princely "neighbor boy". (Very minor male OCs.)
1. Him Again

It was spring, just a couple of days were left until spring break was over, actually. Two good friends lounged underneath a shady tree.

"So, how are your other siblings?" the younger of the two questioned, a smile spread across his face. The fresh winds played with his messy brown hair as he spoke, blowing it this way and that. "I know Chrome's well, but what about the others? I rarely get to see Chikusa or Ken or M.M. nowadays."

"They're all doing very well, actually. Chikusa and Ken got accepted into Namimori University. They'll be starting classes the same time you do." the other replied. His own long blue hair dancing gracefully behind him. "And M.M. recently got a promotion at the design company she works for, she's the vice-president now."

"That's great! And what about your younger brother?"

Silence. The older of the two went still for a moment. Closing his eyes, he let out a breath and leaned against the tree. "Fran is...fine."

"I haven't seen him since he was in 3rd grade. I'd really like to know if he's alright, Mukuro-kun."

"I'd like to know that too, Tsunayoshi."

* * *

><p>"Fran-chan, we're going to Tsuna-kun's house today."<p>

A young lady about 17-years-old let herself into her younger brother's room. She was greeted with the sight of utter chaos.

Papers and open books were spread all over the floor and tacked to the walls. Pens, empty teacups, and candy wrappers littered the work desk across the room. A pale, thin figure sat in front of a computer, short green hair messily tied into a ponytail. Slender fingers tapped furiously at a keyboard.

"I'm busy." Fran stated in his usual monotone voice.

"Your room is a _wreck_."

"I was rewriting a chapter of my story and I had to polish up on my Latin."

"Of course you did." Chrome folded her arms, unamused. "Clean this mess up, we have to be at the Sawada's house in half an hour."

"What part of I'm busy do you not understand? In case you didn't notice, I have a deadline to make. That long haired editor of mine has been riding my ass for the past few weeks and if I don't finish this chapter, he'll work me twice as hard _next_ month."

"**_Language, young man._**" Chrome hissed before sighing. "You've been glued to your computer since Golden Week started, why don't you take a little break?"

"I still have two more pages to go."

"That's not that much! C'mon, just take a couple hours to rest. You can finish up right after."

"Look, you aren't a writer. I can't expect you to understand how long it takes to write two pages of something vaguely witty or coherent. Just leave me alone so I can finish this up and go to sleep."

Chrome's face flushed a bit with anger. She was usually very patient with her brother, but she was tired of how snippy he was lately.

Stomping across the room, she unplugged the computer. "**_Sis._**"

"Clean this room up and take a shower. We are going to the Sawadas'."

* * *

><p>"You're lucky my computer automatically saves my progress."<p>

Chrome, Mukuro, and Fran stood outside the Sawada residence, waiting for the door to open. "Hush, Fran! You will behave while we're here." Chrome warned him as the door swung open.

On the other side of the door stood a beautiful woman with short brown hair and warm brown eyes. A small, sweet smile brightened her features. "Chrome-chan, Mukuro-kun, I'm so glad you could make it."

"Hello, Sawada-okaa-san, we're happy to be here." Chrome replied with a smile and small bow.

"Well then, don't just stand there. Come in, come in, I'll make some tea." Sawada-san waved Chrome and Mukuro in before stopping to look at Fran. She allowed herself a tiny gasp. "Oh my!"

She stepped out to get a closer look at Fran. "Oh, you're little Fran-kun, aren't you? I haven't seen you in so long!" Sawada-san wrapped her arms around Fran in a strong, yet gentle embrace. And, to his sibling's surprise, Fran allowed it.

He remembered Sawada-san from his childhood. He remembered her full name was Sawada Nana, and that she was the mother of all four of the Sawada children. He also remembered she was a very kind, charming woman, and that he was very fond of her. When she was around, she would protect him from the other children.

"Hello, Nana-san." he said, barely managing a greeting. Fran had never been very good with people.

"Come in, dear." Nana cooed, leading Fran inside. "We'll be able to catch up over dinner."

Inside, the three of the four Sawada children were sitting in the living room, waiting on their guests. Nana excused herself to finish making dinner, and Chrome soon followed her out, leaving Mukuro and Fran to greet their hosts.

"Hello, Tsunayoshi." Mukuro purred, settling down on the couch in the empty spot next to his old friend.

"Mukuro-kun, quit being creepy." Tsunayoshi whined, scooting a bit to the side.

There were many things Fran didn't understand in this world, and one of them was the relationship between the two young men sitting in front of him.

Rokudo Mukuro and Sawada Tsunayoshi (The eldest Sawada child who preferred to be called Tsuna.) had been best friends since Fran's family moved to Namimori a month after Fran was born. They knew everything about each other and spent quite a bit of time together. However, their personalities clash more often than not. The two were prone to arguments that, on occasion, could turn rather violent.

"Is that anyway to speak to your _best friend_?" Mukuro's smile was tight and eerie. He threw his arm around Tsuna's shoulders, squeezing him tightly.

"What other way is there to speak to you? It's not good to lie to your friends, so calling you pleasant is out of the question." Tsuna's smile matched Mukuro's.

Fran decided it was best to ignore those two. He didn't want to get caught in the middle of whatever it was they were doing.

He turned his attention to the younger Sawada children. Sawada Lambo and Sawada I-Pin were both 9-years-old and were adopted from Italy and China respectively. Although both valued their native countries' culture, they have never felt strange growing up in Japan. They both agreed it was their home, even if they weren't born there.

Lambo had the face of an angel with bright green eyes and black curls framing his petite face. He acted like a devil, though. Always whining. Always crying. Always picking fights with people much stronger than him. Always getting into trouble... He's caused a lot of problems for his siblings growing up.

I-Pin, on the other hand, was the exact opposite of Lambo. She was very small and pale with long black hair pulled into two braids. Her eyes were dark, yet full of life. She was a very sweet, kind, and capable young lady. And she was very responsible and intuitive for her age.

The two were locked in a very serious game of Jenga. It was I-Pin's turn, and she was still trying to figure out which block to pull. The whole tower looked like it could fall any second. Lambo sat smugly in his seat. When I-Pin hadn't been looking, he pulled two blocks on his last turn, taking away all the easy moves. I-Pin moved to grab a block.

"No, not that one." Fran sat down besides I-Pin. He pointed towards the block just left of the one she was about to pull. "This one."

I-Pin and Lambo were a bit startled by Fran's sudden interest in their game. They hadn't seen him in 4 years, so it had been a while since they last played together. "Onii-san!" I-Pin gasped, jumping slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came over for dinner with Chrome and Mukuro."

The children's eyes sparkled slightly. For whatever reason, they had always been attached to Fran since they were babies. Fran could still remember the two of them pestering him to play some game or following him when he went on walks.

"Then, then, while you're waiting you should play with me." I-Pin stated, jumping up and pulling Fran's arm eagerly. "Do you like volleyball? I have one! Mama took me to the community center, and there was a class for little kids to learn how to play."

"Actually, I'm the starting setter at my school."

"Really? You have to teach me how to toss, then." I-Pin pulled Fran up and out the sliding door. Lambo followed them, shouting that he wanted to play too.

* * *

><p>"Onii-san, onii-san." I-Pin chirped as she, Fran, and Lambo walked back inside. "You should come by more often and teach me even more about volleyball. I want to start playing when I get older too!"<p>

"You're scared to get hit by the ball."

"That was only once! Lambo hit it too hard."

Nana walked into the living room. "You're just in time for dinner."

"Food!" Lambo barked, rushing past her into the kitchen.

"Lambo, don't be rude, we need to wash up first!" I-Pin called, running after him.

"Thank you, Nana-san." Fran bowed slightly as he passed into the kitchen. He washed his hands in the sink and took a seat at the table. I-Pin and Lambo took their seats as soon as he picked up his chopsticks.

"Let's eat!" Nana chimed, taking a bite of orange chicken.

Tonight she was serving some of the Rokudo's favorite dishes and they were grateful for that. There was curry and some stir fry for Chrome and orange chicken and tempura for Mukuro. And, on the far left side of the table, there were sweet ribs for Fran. Meat sliced off the bone just like he liked it. Praise Jesus, hallelujah.

He was about reach for some, when the front door opened. A voice called out, saying they were home. Fran stilled. He knew that voice.

A boy with short, sandy brown hair and starry eyes walked in. Fran noticed his smile evaporated when he spotted Fran at the table.

Nana, however, didn't notice. She smiled at the boy. "Welcome home, Fuuta."

* * *

><p>Please do review, guys! I love feedback more than anything. Reading your comments makes me want to continue writing (though I still will even if you don't).<p> 


	2. His Old Friend

I realized I was in love with Fuuta the second after he broke my heart.

It was his ninth birthday, and, for some reason, he invited me. At the time, he was my only friend. I was having fun, even though the other kids there hated me. And then, suddenly, he was yelling at me. Telling me to go away, that he didn't want to see me.

Obviously, this all makes me being at his house now pretty fucking awkward. I transferred out of Namimori Elementary two days after his party, and I've never seen him since.

Now he's sitting right next to me. What's worse, he's in front of the sweet ribs.

Nana seemed to notice my tragic lack of delicious meat. "Fran-kun, Chrome-chan told me you loved sweet ribs. Why aren't you having any? Don't you want some?"

"Uh..." I looked to my left. Fuuta was just eating silently, not looking up from his plate. "Sure, I'll have some."

I reached over to get some, but it was just out of my reach. Shit. I tried stretching my arm out more, but I could get it.

Then, another pair of chopsticks grabbed the meat I was aiming for, placing it on my plate. I leaned back in my seat.

"Thanks, Sawada-kun."

"Mm-hm."

* * *

><p>The next day, I kept thinking about seeing Fuuta. I thought about how he got taller and tanner and how his voice got lower. He looked older, but not in a bad way. He just seemed...more mature.<p>

"Now why are you walking around looking like a little girl in love?"

I looked to the right out of the corner of my eye and let out a breath.

Tsukino Ryūji was the first person to talk to me when I came to Kokuyo Elementary in the third grade. He was a year older then me, and we met in the Children's Volleyball Group that the school set up. I didn't particularly like volleyball, but I stayed in the group because it turned out I was a pretty good setter.

Ryūji came to me one day, telling me how cool I looked when I tossed the ball. He asked me to play with him and his friends. So I did, and I suppose we became friends after that.

Ryūji was my best friend, there was no doubt about that, but he was so fucking annoying.

"Tsukino-senpai, is it really appropriate for the student council president to be this late to school? All while harassing another student?"

Ryūji's laugh was like the sound a pig made when it was wrestled down. I know because he once _made_ me wrestle a pig. The two were making identical squeals the whole time. "And what excuse do you have? Aren't you the vice-president?"

"If I remember correctly, someone forced me into that position."

"You were right for the job," he said, waving my words off. "I got Fall Out Boy's new album, you wanna listen to it?"

"I already know from experience I can't keep you from coming to my house, so, if you're gonna come over, might as well say so."

* * *

><p>"Sawada-kun, I'm not sure if you're lost or not, but this is my house."<p>

What the fuck was this? He was at _my_ house now? I don't think my heart can take this.

Fuuta stared at me, lips in a tight line. We were in front of my apartment building. Ryūji and I were going home to listen to music,and he was there for God knows what.

"I was just here to talk to Chrome-nee and, uh, Mukuro on behalf of my brother."

"Mukuro". For some reason, Fuuta seemed to love my brother. It didn't make sense to me, since my brother was an asshole, but it seemed like they've gotten really close. This is the first time I've ever heard anyone address him without an honorific.

"We were just going up there!" Ryūji's smile put me at ease. He laughed and ate like a pig, but he was actually quite handsome. With a smile and eyes warm like the sun, he was a regular people magnet. His hair and eyes were dark, like any other Japanese student, but his skin wasn't pale. It was a nice, brown color that glowed in the sunlight. "You can come up with us."

"Ah, yes, thank you... And, what was your name again?"

"Oh! Whoops, forgot to introduce myself," a couple of quiet squeals escaped Ryūji's lips. "The name's Tsukino Ryūji, I'm a third year at Fran's school."

"An upperclassman," Fuuta bowed slightly. "I'm sorry I was so rude. I'm Sawada Fuuta, a second year at Namimori Middle School."

"No need to be so polite!" Ryūji cooed, slapping Fuuta on the back. "C'mon, let's go upstairs."

Ryūji practically pushed Fuuta into the elevator. I followed slowly behind.

* * *

><p>"I don't think I've ever been to your house before, Rokudo-san," Fuuta stated, looking around as he pulled off his shoes. "it's very nice."<p>

I don't like to brag, but my family is pretty fucking rich. It's from the constant flow of money coming in from all of our jobs, though I'm not sure what everyone else actually does. It's thanks to these jobs, though, that we can afford the penthouse at Namimori's most prestigious apartment complex.

Mukuro's a neat freak, so he makes sure it's always spotless. The tile floors shine so brightly, they give me a headache. How he keeps all three floors of the apartment so clean, I will never know.

"Mukuro-nii would probably be happy to hear that. He puts a lot of work in keeping it clean." I started walking towards the stairs. "You can wait in my room until he and Chrome get back. They probably went shopping or something."

Ryūji followed behind me, practically dragging Fuuta up the stairs. "Fran's room is huge and really comfy. He has a lot of games and books and music too, so we won't be bored."

I felt a little sorry for Fuuta. Having all of Ryūji's attention could be tiring. When it's over, you get sleepy the way you do after having a fun day out.

I opened the door to my room, and noticed it was a little big for one person. The fact that Chrome made me clean it up made it seem even more spacious.

I was never a fan of extravagant designs and wallpaper, so I kept the walls white and the hardwood floors brown. I did, however, tack my many colorful notecards all over the wall. It was to organize my thoughts better. I also had a couple posters for some bands and shows I liked.

My bookshelves were on the right wall. Three large, brown shelves filled with perfectly alphabetized books. My desk was against the window across from the door, my precious computer sat on top of it.

I threw my backpack on my bed and motioned for Ryūji and Fuuta to sit down at the mini living room I set up to the left. "Make yourself at home. I'll go get some drinks."

I left for, like, two minutes before hearing a crash coming from upstairs. "The fuck...?" I whispered, speed walking up the stairs back to my room.

When I walked into my bed room, I saw Fuuta on the floor and Ryūji standing over him on the couch. "Dude, don't stand on my couch, you'll break the springs or some shit."

Ryūji turned and grinned. "Sorry, sorry! I was just surprised when Fuuta suddenly fell over, I wanted to check on him."

"I hope bullying Sawada-kun doesn't become a habit like how you bully me."

Ryūji looked insulted, trying to come up with a retort. "He wasn't bullying me, Rokudo-san."

Fuuta pulled himself up from the floor. "I was just really surprised by something he said. I overreacted, I'm sorry."

His face looked a little red. Maybe he was hot or something. "Well, then I'll just go and get the drinks."

* * *

><p>After an hour or so, Chrome popped her head into my room. "Fran, we're back from the grocery store."<p>

I looked up from the video game Ryūji forced us to play. "Everyone's home?"

"No, aneue-sama is working overtime, and Ken-nii and Chikusa-nii have a study group or something."

I pulled myself up. "Alright, well, Sawada-kun's here to see you and Mukuro-nii." I walked past her. "C'mon, Ryūji, let's set up the table while they talk."

* * *

><p>Not a very interesting chapter, but we have to get the plot rolling somehow, right? Exposition is important after all. As always, I'm going to be begging for reviews. Pleasepleaseplease review; they mean a lot to me.<p> 


	3. Just One Night

"Dinner's ready." I called, just as Mukuro, Chrome, and Fuuta walked down the stairs.

"Fuuta-kun, you should stay for dinner." Chrome suggested.

"I don't want to trouble you..."

"Nonsense! Ryū-chan is always eating dinner with us, one more won't hurt." Chrome practically shoved Fuuta into a seat.

Ryūji and I had just finished setting the table. We took our seats and waited for everyone else to get settled. Once everyone sat down, we mumbled a quick "Let's eat!" before digging in. I couldn't say I wasn't pleased when I saw the sparkle in Fuuta's eyes after his first bite.

"Chrome-nee, this is delicious. Did you prepare all this?" he asked, red dusting over his cheeks.

Chrome giggled and shook her head. "Oh, no. Fran was the one who cooked this, he's like the family's personal chef."

"Rokudo-san did...?" I didn't miss the way he glanced in my direction.

* * *

><p>I walked Ryūji and Fuuta out of the apartment. The train station was only a block away, so I parted ways with him first.<p>

He grinned at us and waved as he walked away. "I'll see you tomorrow, Fran! Fuuta, let's play again sometime!"

As soon as he was out of sight, I turned and started walking in the opposite direction. "What are you doing, Rokudo-san?" Fuuta hurried to catch up to me.

"This part of town has a lot of crime at night, I'll walk you home."

"It's fine, I can handle myself!"

"Chrome-nee will have a fit if I don't do this." That effectively shut him up. We walked in silence for the rest of the way. It didn't take long to reach the Sawada residence. It was only a twenty minute walk.

As we reached the front gate, Nana opened the door. Her smile was bright, even in the darkness. "Fran-kun! I see you walked Fuuta back, how nice." she said, walking over to the gate. "Why don't you come inside for a drink?"

I shook my head. "No, I gotta get back home."

"Oh, please?" Nana asked, grabbing my hand. "It'd be nice to talk to you over some tea." I gave in. It would have been rude to refuse her. I decided it would just be a quick cup of tea.

* * *

><p>"<em>Breaking news from West Namimori.<em>"

Fran looked up at the TV. It was a well known fact he and his siblings lived on the west side of town. "_Citizens have reported a small tremor that has caused the collapse of several buildings. Although the buildings were empty and there were no injuries, the nearby roads have been closed until the debris is cleared._"

"Shit." he whispered as the news cut to the scene of the accident. Of course, the buildings that collapsed were on his route home.

"Oh my." Nana breathed. "It's a good thing you stopped for tea!"

"How are you gonna get home, onii-san?" I-Pin asked, looking up at Fran, who bit his lip.

He furrowed his eyebrows as he pulled up all his mental maps. "Well, there are the back roads..."

Just then, Fran's phone went off. It was M.M., his eldest sister.

"Hello?"

"_Thank God, I'm not ready to bury you just yet._"

Fran rolled his eyes. M.M. was certainly worried, but she would never show it.

"_Where are you right now? Chrome's flipping her shit wondering where you are._"

"I'm still at the Sawada place, I was just about to head back."

"_Uh, did you not see the news? The roads are blocked, sweetie, I don't think you're going anywhere._"

"The back roads are still open."

"_What? No. No. Do you want to get robbed or something? Just stay with the Sawadas and Mukuro will get you tomorrow. It's Saturday, so you don't have school._"

"I can't just stay over."

"Yes you can!" I-Pin's eyes sparkled. "We can have a sleepover and camp out in the backyard and eat lots of snacks and watch movies and-"

Lambo shoved her out the way. "You can play with Lambo-sama. I have cards and action figures and video games and grape candies!"

"Don't shove, Lambo!" I-Pin then, hypocritically, shoved her brother to the floor.

"We'd love to have you over, Fran-kun." Nana's smile was wider, a special glint in her eyes that Fran couldn't place.

"...Alright." Fran managed. "I'll stay, thank you."

* * *

><p>Your heart is constricting and you can barely breath now.<p>

He's in your room. _He's_ in your _room_. And that's all you can think about as he lays out his "bed" on the floor beside your bed. And you stand there, holding a bundle of blankets and pillows because that's all you can do right now. Because he's here for the first time in forever, and you feel like you're about to burst.

He turns to you, and you swear his eyes are greener than they were four years ago. He's holding out his hand, and you realize he wants what's in your arms. You quickly hand them over to him. "Sorry for taking over your room." he apologizes, though he doesn't sound sorry. "I'll make sure not to bother you."

Your heart twists a bit in your chest as he walks past you towards the door. "The brats want me to play with them, so if you're asleep when I come back I'll try to come in quietly."

As he leaves, you decide this must be a dream. Or a nightmare. Your heart aches in such an odd way that you can't tell which.

* * *

><p>You're studying when he comes back several hours later.<p>

School came to you easily, so you didn't really need to. It was to keep your mind away from the ache in your chest. The whole idea went out the window when he returned, though.

"Such a diligent student. I'm impressed." You can no longer tell if he's being sarcastic, at least, not as well as before. You're pretty sure, though, that he was being sincere.

"Thank you." This was all you could manage to say.

"I'm going to bed now, but you can leave the light on."

And you go to bed a couple minutes after he's knocked out, and you can't fall asleep because he's _right here_. And you don't know when you fall asleep, but you know there's a warm feeling in your stomach when you do.

* * *

><p>Pleasepleaseplease review! I love feedback. It'll make me really happy to see what you guys think.<p> 


	4. He Saved Me (Part 1)

"Oh, are you a relative of Fuuta-kun? I don't think I've met you before."

I can't blame Uni for not remembering me. _I _wouldn't remember me.

She was extremely popular in primary school. Always surrounded by boys and girls alike, she probably didn't have time to remember a loner like me. We basically lived in two different universes. It still hurt to be forgotten, though.

"No. I'm Rokudo Fran, sort of a family friend."

"Nice to meet you, I'm a classmate of Fuuta's." She bowed deeply. "My name is Uni Giglio-Nero."

"Right." This was kind of awkward. I didn't know if I should pretend I didn't know her either, or remind her of who I was. I decided to just change the subject altogether. "Did you want to come in or something? Fuuta's in the bathroom."

"No, no. I can wait out here." Her smile was as bright as usual. I felt sick. "We have plans to do some errands together, so it's more convenient if I stay outside."

"Well, alright then." I looked at her for a second before slowly shutting the door. Fucking awkward. I hoped I wouldn't have to communicate with her anymore. Those hopes were swiftly crushed.

"Fran-chan, could you do me a teeny favor?"

I turned to see Nana-san in the kitchen doorway, looking pretty but stressed. She was wearing a free, flowy dress that contrasted the almost pained look on her face. She stared at me, furiously mixing a bowl of something in her arms as the kids weaved and ducked under her skirt and around her legs in a poorly placed game of tag. The look on her face was too much; I couldn't say no.

"I guess." I said, pulling Lambo towards me to pause the kids' game.

Nana let out a sigh of relief. "Tsuna-kun is coming home today from college. It's the first day he's been back in months, and I'd like to make his favorite dishes for him." She began, the whisk in her hand never slowing. "The problem is, I'm missing my secret ingredient for his favorite hamburger steak. I'm too busy with preparing the other dishes and the kids to get it, and Fuuta has student council work so..."

"No problem, I'll get it." I say, struggling to keep Lambo in my grasp without hurting him. "It seems Mukuro-nii won't be coming until later anyways, he's busy with work or something."

Nana-san's face split into a bright smile. "Thank you so much, Fran! Here, let me write down the directions and the ingredient for you." Sweeping her way into the kitchen, Nana-san went to write down the reason for my death.

* * *

><p>'<em>Nana-san's handwriting is so bad.<em>' I thought while I was sitting on the train. I never expected such a pretty lady to write in chicken scratch like this, it was worse than Chikusa-nii's. '_What does this say? Is that a seven or a nine?_'

This was bad. With my phone left charging at the Sawada's, I couldn't just ask Nana-san what the note said. The train was closing in on the sixth stop, I would have to decide soon whether I was getting off at the next station or not. '_I can't even tell what the ingredient is._'

I was squinting down at the paper, trying to decipher it, when the train's intercom sounded:

_**Next stop East Namimori Shopping District.**_

'_Fuck._' I thought as I watched the station come into view. I sat for a minute as the doors opened and people moved in and out the train. What if this was the wrong stop? What if I ruined Tsunayoshi's welcome home party?

The intercom sounded again, asking everyone to move away from the doors. "Fuck it."

I got scolded by the rail officials, but I made it onto the station by hopping out the train just in time. I was at the seventh stop, and there was no turning back. I still couldn't figure out what the damn note said, but I hoped I would figure it out. '_This is a shopping district, so maybe this was the right stop. The only problem is the ingredient._'

My legs began to move on their own, and I walked down the sidewalk wondering if I was really up to this.

* * *

><p>I wasn't up to this. It took only ten minutes for everything to go down the shitter.<p>

Letting my legs take me wherever was a bad move; I ended up in a very crowded hub in what seemed to be the center of the district. I was tossed into a swarm of couples, teens, and busy mothers that reminded me of Nana-san. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

Pushing my way through the crowd, I was able to squeeze into a small alleyway to take a breather. Another mistake on my part. I had just walked into some local gangs hideout. Several crates and a table made a sitting area which was covered by a hung up tarp for rain. Three guys, maybe high school freshmen, turned from their cigarettes and game of poker to growl at me.

"The fuck 're you?" This was from what looked to be the leader of the sub-group. He had dyed blonde hair and a tall frame.

"You got biznez wit' us?" Maybe their muscle. He was squat but buff and had a shaved head.

"Speak up!" Their brain. He was wiry and short. His face was scrunched up and weasley.

Was it better to walk away or explain? I didn't particularly like talking to people. "Is there a problem here?"

I blinked, that wasn't my voice. I felt a warm hand being placed onto my shoulder, and I was pulled into someone's chest.

'_Who?_'

* * *

><p>Whelp, that's it for this week. Since FF screwed up my docs, I'm going to be updating (hopefully) next Saturday instead of Sunday. As always review! Pleasepleaseplease review!<p> 


	5. Nosy Punks

I tilted my head up to catch a chilling, stern look on Fuuta's face. I shivered into his chest. His eyes narrowed.

"Fuu-san, you're back early!" I heard the leader state, his voice almost lyrical in his joy. "We di'n't think you'd be back 'til you sent Uni-chan home."

"I forgot to invite you to Tsuna-nii's welcome home party. Are you causing trouble again?" His words had a certain edge to them that almost made me shudder.

"Wha? No, Fuu-san, we woul'n't!" The brawn was speaking this time. Unable to look away from Fuuta's face, I could almost hear the pout on his face. "We were just won'ring why this kid was here is all! Not too many folks approach us without ulterior motives."

Fuuta's grip on my shoulder tightened, and the look on his face got dark. What the brawny guy had said seemed pretty accurate, but it didn't look like Fuuta believed them. "He's right, Sawada-kun." I said before I could stop myself. "I just barged in without thinking. I probably just spooked them."

The hold on my shoulder loosened. "Are you sure, Rokudo-san?" Fuuta asked, glancing down at me.

I quickly nodded my head. With that, his cloudy expression cleared up a bit, and he let go of my shoulder. "Well then, sorry about that, Rokudo-san. Kyou-nii put me in charge of these guys, and I just didn't want them causing trouble."

"It's fine." I replied, moving a comfortable distance away from him. "I, uh, have to go now. Errands."

"For my mom?"

"Yeah. She needed something. A secret ingredient or whatever. I just got a little lost."

Fuuta's eyes flickered from me to Uni (who I just noticed was behind us the whole time). "I would go with you, but Uni and I still have student council errands..."

"That's fi-"

"We can take him, Fuu-san!"

The brain of the "thugs" was bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly. He had a glint in his eyes that looked all too familiar to me. It was a mischievous look that spelled trouble. "Y'know, to apologize for frightening him? Show him we aren't all that bad?"

"You don't have t-"

"Alright." I flinched. Fuuta had finalized everything before I even had the chance to speak. He turned to me and gave me a half-hearted smile. "This part of town has a lot of pickpockets and criminals. This way you'll be safe."

I felt two large hands on my shoulders. "Don't worry, Fuu-san." The leader said, shooing Fuuta and Uni off. "We'll take _extra_ good care of him."

* * *

><p>I learned two things about the "thugs". The first thing (things?) being their names: Shimizu Kei (the leader), Sawamura Yumeji (the brawn), and Haiji Takato (the brain). The second thing was that they were extremely nosy.<p>

"So, what's your relationship with Fuu-san?" Takato asked for what seemed to be the billionth time as we moved into the snack aisle after grabbing the mystery ingredient (It was vinegar. Fucking vinegar).

"I told you, we don't have one. We just know each other through our siblings."

"C'mon, kid, there's gotta be more 'en just that." Kei managed to nudge me with his elbow and shove some chips into the basket at the same time. I let it slide. It was the brand I ate anyways.

Yumeji, who had made it his mission to shove as many chocolates into the basket as possible, nodded in agreement as he casually dumped thirteen packages of Yan-Yans into the basket. "Yeah, seems like Fuu-san really likes you."

I snorted and slapped away a hand attempting to add Pepsi-flavored Cheetos to our items. "It's more 'tolerates' than 'likes'. He can't stand me."

"Wha? You got _that_ wrong, kid." Takato said, throwing some Sour Brite Crawlers into our purchases. "Fuu-san doesn't ever really get mad at us, so you have to be at least a little important if he was interrogating us like he was. So, tell us, what's your relationship with Fuu-san?"

I rolled my eyes and made my way to check out, struggling a bit with the now heavy basket. Yumeji snatched it from me and put it on the belt. "I told y-"

"I'll just ask Fuu-san." Takato pulled out his phoned.

"We're childhood friends."

Kei whistled. "Ooh, how cute."

"But I thought Uni-chan was his childhood friend." Yumeji stated while helping the bag boy keep up with the checker.

"Yeah. She was there too. And I left early. It's complicated. And weird to talk about."

"3178 yen, please."

Takato had a 5000 yen note out before I could even reach for my wallet. "I can-"

"Ha, are you kiddin'? As if I'd let Fuu-san's childhood friend pay." he snorted as he collected his change. "He just texted askin' if you were alright. 'We don't have a relationship.' my ass."

* * *

><p>"So, tell us 'bout that whole 'childhood friends' deal." Takato was probably the nosiest out of Fuuta's friends. We were on the train back to the Sawada's neighborhood when he started the interrogation back up.<p>

"Didn't I-" He also had a knack for interrupting people.

"The whole story." And being demanding.

"There's no real 'story'. It's just what I told you at the store."

Kei squinted at me. "You ain't tell us anythin' at the store."

"Ya just kinda mumbled some stuff and the conversation died." Yumeji agreed, already digging in the bags for a snack.

I groaned and leaned back in my seat. It didn't seem like they'd let up about this, and the ride back was a good thirty minutes. It seemed like the only thing I could do was tell them whatever they wanted to hear. "Fine." I said, stretching my legs out. "But don't tell Sawada-kun anything I say here, and don't ask me anything more after this train ride."

"Fair enough." Takato agreed, fiddling with his phone again. "Go."


	6. Clumsy Tsuna

"Sawada-kun's family and my family already knew each other from even before my family moved here.

Our dads worked in the same field or something. They had the same kind of work, so they'd meet each other occasionally at work meetings and stuff. They weren't really friends, just people who knew each other through business.

When my siblings and I moved to Japan, I was only a little older than one, I think. But my brother, Mukuro-nii, was seven and my sister, Chrome-nee, was five. They were the perfect age to play with Sawada-kun's older brother, Tsunayoshi, who was six at the time.

Our dads kinda just threw them together while they talked business. I don't think they expected them to get along all that well, but they did. They became best friends, actually. Even after our dads both left for work overseas, my brother and sister would go to Sawada-kun's house to play with his older brother.

They started bringing me when I was about three. Sawada-kun was getting clingy and possessive with Tsunayoshi, so they brought me along to distract him. It worked pretty well, I guess. We got along fine until school started."

A voice on the train's intercom interrupted my little story to announce we were nearing our stop. I lifted myself out of my seat and stretched. "Well, I guess that's it."

"Bullshit! You di'n't even get to get to the juicy part yet." Kei whined, grabbing his share of the bags.

"You agreed that, once we got to our stop, I wouldn't have to tell you anything."

"Nuh uh." Yumeji hurriedly shoved his snack trash in his pocket. "You said we coul'n't ask you anythin' after this. You still hafta finish the story."

"Ugh. So school started. No one liked me. I was weird. Everyone liked Uni. She was a pretty Italian foreign exchange student. Sawada-kun's ninth birthday. Blahblahblah. I switched schools. Done."

"No you're-"

"Oh, hey, look. It's the place we're supposed to be." I rushed past the front gate and into the house.

* * *

><p>Mukuro came to get me almost right after I delivered Nana-san's vinegar.<p>

We enjoyed a silent ride home and split up once we got inside, both of us going to our own room. Almost instinctively, I slid into bed and curled up in my sheets, ready to sleep my life away. That is, until I noticed a certain smell. As familiar as the taste of Nana-san's cooking or Lambo and I-Pin's tendency to cling to me, Fuuta's natural scent hit me a little late but with a lot of force.

What. The. Fuck.

I sprung up from bed, head spinning, and began to feel nauseous when I remembered (too late, much too late ) the outfit I was currently wearing was ( grudgingly ) borrowed from him.

"Nope." The clothes were off and in the wash in an instant, my sheets trailing quickly behind.

I ran the bath and didn't wait for the water to warm up. I sat in the freezing tub and scrubbed my skin with soap until it burned. And even then, I probably wouldn't have stopped if Chrome hadn't knocked on the door.

"Fran, what are you doing?"

"Bath." I slammed the soap on the rack and let myself sink into the cool water. My arms stung a little; I probably overdid it.

"Ah, that's good. Hurry up with it, though, we're going to be leaving soon."

I sat there for a while, like I was trying to ignore what she just said. I wondered if she could tell I was too tired to ask questions.

She could.

"We're going back, just so you know."

I couldn't verbalize my feelings. I lifted my arm and slammed the soap rack a couple times in response.

* * *

><p>My hair's a mess, my glasses are speckled, and I hate the sweater Chrome forced me in. So much so, that I complained very loudly about it the whole ride back to the Sawada's. Chrome wasn't having it, though.<p>

"Hush, Fran. That sweater is cute." Her voice is dismissive at best, and she hasn't even really looked at me since she forced my head through the turtleneck. If she would just turn around and take a peek at the rearview mirror, she would see it didn't suit me.

It wasn't ugly. It was just red with fluffy lining . Christmas red and fluffy lining paired up with my green hair? "I look like the outcome of CC from Code Geass fucking Santa."

"Oh, shut up. You look fine."

"You haven't even looked at me since I put it on."

"...Look at that, we're here."

Mukuro and Chrome scrambled to unlock the car and throw me out of it before I could cling to the seat. With a united force that only close siblings could muster, they shoved me up to the Sawada's front door and rang the doorbell.

' Please don't be Sawada-kun. Pleasedon'tbeSawadakun. '

The person who opened the door was, technically, 'Sawada-kun'. It just wasn't the one I was thinking of. Hair still defying gravity after all these years, Sawada Tsunayoshi stood in front of me looking familiar and different.

"Fran-kun!" He smiles at me and focuses on me, as if it was me and not my siblings he's known for years. Tsunayoshi takes my arm and begins to pull me deeper into the house. "I've been wanting to talk to you for so long. C'mon, have a seat."

He leads me into the livingroom where Takato, Kei, and Yumeji are playing Just Dance 2016 . Yumeji glances up from the TV long enough to acknowledge me. "Yer sweater reminds me a Christmas."

God fucking damn it.

I must look defeated, because Tsunayoshi laughs a bit. "Don't worry, Fuuta was teasing me about my clothes too."

It's then I notice he's wearing this god awful cat sweater that looks like it was made in Photoshop. I don't say anything, I just look at him. I don't want to be comforted by such a creature. "Hey, don't give me that look! It's not that bad."

We settle down on the family couch that's been pushed to the wall for space. We're alone, and it looks like Tsunayoshi wants to talk to me, but he's suddenly lost all the confidence he had bringing me here. "So, uh..." He pulls out his phone. "Do you, uh, have an Instagram?"

* * *

><p>Tsuna's Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr is meme hell and pretty embarrassing, but I'm still courteous enough to follow him back. It clouds my feed with Neko Atsume and the occasional Pepe the Frog, but I'm a nice person so I don't hit unfollow. Besides, I like the vines he always shares.<p>

I'm halfway through my 30th loop of a particularly enjoyable vine when I see Tsuna glancing at me in my periphery. It's quick but obvious; he's not trying to conceal anything. It takes me a while to notice that it isn't just a glance but a flicker. He looks at me, and then he looks at his phone. Me. Phone. Me. Phone. He's starting to look a little sick, and that makes me worry.

"Something wrong?"

He bites his lip. Reluctantly, he shows me his phone. It's his Instagram feed, and it's focused on a mirror selfie of Uni's captioned "Hope this isn't too festive! (╥_╥) Excited to see Sawada-san after so long~! ❤". I see Fuuta on his phone in the background, but that's no real cause for alarm. I look at Tsuna. "Yeah?"

"Look at what she's wearing."

I look back. Leggings. Boots. A skirt. I'm about to look up again when I finally see it. "Holy fuck, that's my sweater." I just stare at the screen for a while. Then, I realize something even more terrifying. " Holy fuck, she's coming here. "

I'm dead. My life is over. Uni's going to come over any minute, and we'll all place the saddest game of "Who wore it best?". "When did she post that?" I ask, but I'm thinking something like ' When is my execution scheduled? '.

Tsuna checks, a scowl forms on his face. "Like, 12 minutes ago. Shit, man, she lives, like, 15 minutes away."

I can't tell if I'm about to shit myself or have a heart attack, but I'm definitely shaking. ' Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. ' is running through my mind. And then he does it. Tsuna gets up, unseen by anyone else but me, and grabs a nearby bowl of punch. He dunks it over the both of us, chucks it to the floor, and 'slips' while kicking the small snack table over.

I could only sit there, soaked and quickly getting sticky, and stare. The other party goers turned to look at us, surprised but not shocked. Tsuna had a reputation for being a klutz. He shakily lifted himself up from the floor and smiled. "Sorry! Sorry, guys! I'm okay! I'll clean it up in a second. Don't worry about it!"

And he's up and dragging me to his room in an instant, expertly guiding me through the broken glass.

* * *

><p>"Mama, we're back, is nii-chan home already?"<p>

Noticing his friend had returned, Takato poked his head out the living room and grinned at Fuuta. "Hey, welcome back. Tsu-nii's here, but he went upstairs with Fran-kun a couple minutes ago."

Fuuta stiffened a bit. "Rokudo-san's here?"

Takato blinked. Then a wolfish grin spread across his face. "Yeah, and they've been upstairs for a while! They seem to be clinging to each other nicely; they were even chatting privately in the back of the room before the went up."

Fuuta scowled at Takato, not liking his suggestive tone one bit. He kicked off his shoes and called into the house. "Nii-chan? You're upstairs, right? I'm coming up!"

Before he could even get within a foot's distance of the stairs, a red faced Tsuna and a shockingly disheveled Fran stormed down the stairs. "No need, no need. Look, we're here, yay!" Tsuna sloppily threw his arms around his brother. Fuuta noticed his brother smelled a bit like cherry. Odd.

"Oh, lookit here, it's Uni." Fuuta was shoved, with a surprising amount of force, to the side as Tsuna made his way to greet Uni.

He bumped into Fran, who twitched a bit at the contact. Fuuta frowned. Fran...also smelled like cherry? And it looked like he was wearing one of Tsuna's old shirts?

"Sawada-san!" Uni squealed, clasping Tsuna's hands in hers. She looked like she was about to say something, but was stopped short by a change in thought. "Sawada-san, your hands are kinda sticky."

Immediately pulling his hands out of Uni's grasp, Tsuna grabbed Fran and pulled him into the kitchen. "Oh my, it looks like we're out of snacks. Come help me, Fran."

Fuuta's brow furrowed. He glanced at Takato, who simply winked at him. Cherry scent. Tsuna's red face. Borrowed shirt. Fran's tossed hair. Sticky hands. Sticky hands. Sticky?

His stomach lurched. " Oh my God. "

* * *

><p><span>Please review. Review if you liked it, review if you hated it. Flame me, I literally just want attention.<span>


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